Latch



Nov. 11, 1930. GRAF 1,781,172

LATCH Filed April 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (\iTomea E. F. GRA F Nov.11, 1930.

LATCH Filed April 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 luau Tor Tdua'd Y. Gmi

meme, is

Patented Nov. 11 1930 UmrsnsTATE-s PATENT OFFICE EDWARD F. GRAEOF GRANDRAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIIIGN'OR TO WINTERS 86 CRAMPTON MFG. 00., F GRAND,RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ,ACORPORATION OF MICHIGAN LATCH Application filedApril 15,

This invention relates to a latch construction particularly adapted forrefrigerators though in no sense limited in use thereto. It is a primaryobject and purpose ofthe prescut invention to provide a latch structurewhich is reversible in use, that is, one which may be applied to eitherdoors swinging'to the right or tothe left, the change in adapting thelatch for useon one type ofdo'or to the other being a very simple oneand one which requires no variation whatever inthe manufacturing processof the parts which are assembled to make the latch. 7

r A further object of the invention is to-pro.-

vide a latch in which when the latch lever thereof is manuallydisengaged from the keeper it is held in a position such that the keeperengaging end of the latch lever passes 7 above the keeper hook and isentered backof said keeper hook automatically as the door is finallyclosed through a cam operation upon the latch lever which swings thesame from its keeper disengaged position to a pointwhere a spring means,which previously has acted to hold the lever in keeper disengagedposition, is caused'to act to force the latch lever into wedgingengagement with the keeper hook.

An understanding of'the invention and the constructions embodying thesame may be had from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which, I

Fig. 1 shows a front and a side elevation 5' of the latch structureappliedto a door'and door jamb with the lever in the position itoccupies when it is disengaged from the keeper on opening the door, thehousing for the latch lever mechanism being shown in section.

h, .is a like front andside elevation illustrating the 'latchileverengaged with the keeper.' w

Fig. .3 is a view similar to the front elevation shown' in Fig. '1,showing the latch applied to ,adoor which swings ina direction oppositetothat shown in Fig. 1. f

.FigAis a transver'se section through latch structure appliedtothe door.

I reference to the latchlever.

1929. Serial No. 255,120.

Fig. is alongitudinal section through said latch structure. Fig. 6 isafbottom elevation of the latch construction. 5 r I I Fig. '7 is a.fragn'ientaryenlarged constructive detail in elevation and verticalsection showing the assembly ofthespring control means of the'latchconstruction withfthe latch lever 'a-nd the housing or casing therefor,and Fig. 8 is a view similar tothat shown in Fig. 7 illustratinga-slight change and addi-'. tion to the construction shown in Fig. 7Like referencecharacters refer to like parts in different figures of thedrawings. g

In the construction showm'the latch lever assembly is secured to theface of a door l nearflthe free vertical edge thereof. Said constructionincludes housing 2 of sheetmetal which has a top and inwardly extendingsides and ends with ears 3 turned outwardly from the inner edge portionsof each side of the housing through which screws 'or equivalentfastening devices pass to secure the casing to the'door. Openings 4 and5 aremade through the opposite ends of the latch housingand a bottomplate 6 closes the lower side of the housing, said plate beinga-platef'o'f flat'metal in which two ton gues'7, as shown in Fig. 6, areprovided located symmetrically with respect to. a plane through thepivot of the latch lever, hereafter described, and disposed midwaybetween the opposite upper and lower sides of said housing. The" use ofthe tongues 7 will appear later with The latch lever 8 extendsthroughthe lionsing, passing through said openings 4.- and 5 and atone end' isformed into an operating handle 9. The other end 10 may directly" engagewith the keeper hook or a keeper hook engagingroller 11 may be mountedthereon.

The lever 8 is formed from fiat metal and shaped so that theintermediate portion thereof within the housing ,is of channel form,having an upperweb and inwardly eX- tending spaced apart flanges 12.Within through the web described and the end the housing an elongatedopening 13 iscut thereof, adja'cent the pivot, the opening is formedwith two concaved seats iltseparated fbya centralproj'ection 15,"asshown. The

pivot pin 16 is a sleeve which passesthrough T the bottom 6 and isreceived at its upper or outer endin a bearing 17 which, preferably,

7 inwardlyand having the'bearing 17' formed j is formed-inthe'metalofthe housing displaced when the.

openings is madevat one side ofithehousin'g, sa d metalbeingturnedtherein, as shown in Fig. 5. The lowerend of the pivot sleeve "16 isspunoutwardly side of the base plates, (Figs. 5 and 6), thereby, serving toconnect and secure the pivot sleeve against the under. as indicated at16 in place.

I 7 A barlS 1s formed atone end witharight angularly extended head 19,.the bar being 7 located withinthe housing between the outer sidefof thehousing and'the upper or outer side of the latch lever.

into the opening-13 andseats, 14 described] A-coiled spring 20 islocatedjaround the bar 18,}pressing against the head 19 atone end Y'andat the opposite end bcaringagainst an end of the housing above theopening 5.

I Said housing is formed withaninwardly. pressed-projection 21 as. alocating and hold- Y 'ing means for the end of the spring;

.Thelatch', lever assembly-described is one in Which,1when the lever isturnedto the po- 'sition shown in Fig.- 1, the line of force of thesringQO"passes'slightly above the axis oflthe pivot 16 an l: serves tohold the lever yieldingly in thelpostion there shown. a But on 'turningthe lever about its pivot,- the' line of force ofjthe springlpassesacross the axis;

of'the pivot 16to below such axis and thereupon acts to turn the'leverfiinthe opposite i in Fig. 4: to serve asfa limit stop'for theleven -When t he. constructionis to be used on a. door swinging to the"left, 'as illustrated in 'lliand theitongue 7 which is bentinWardlydirection.

Fig.3, the headl9 is seated in the otherseat J Eis the oppositetonguejz, though it will be a theflower side of the lever.

- The keeper hook which is be attached 'to thedoorjamb-22,comprisesja-baseplate 23 Withanoutwardlyfextendi'ngpost Qi iri -J thepost terminatinginfan The head 19 extends lVhen the construction is tobe jused,on.a door swinging to 'the right, as shown in Fig,';1,the head19 is seated in} onexoi 'the seats 14: andzo'ne'fof the tongues 7, ispressed inwardly. into the housing as shown a. screw their scope.

to turn the keeper engaging end of the lever downwardly as the door isclosed, and cause the spring 20 to act upon the lever, after its line offorce has passed across the aXi-s'of the pivot pin 16,'to "force thekeeper engaging end of the lever intofsnug wedging engagement therewith.

In Fig. 8 a slightlydiflerent form of construction is'shown with'respectto the latch leverhlnstead of makingthe seats 14"for the head 19 in theweb'oigthe lever itself, a

metal plate 27 is placed against the upper "side of the lever 8, thepivot l6passing therethrough, and extends to the opening 13 in 5the'lever, having" a projection 28 which ejX- tends into said openingand provides. two

oppositely disposed seatsor sockets29, The 'n'1ateri al]fro1n which theplate 27 and the sockets 29flare made may be of steel sothat it canbehardened to sustain wear,

The c structi "s r H I nofvlatch ls very slmple fand' econom cal fromjamanufacturing and assembly standpoint. Thegparts" are easily fabricatedand assembled. WVhen the door isopen the latch lever will be in thepoistion shown in either Figs. 1 or 3, .depending 'up'on whetherit is aright orleft'hand swinging door, and the leverswill beheld in the. post1 tion'shown by the force of spring 20; On closing the door the keeperengaging end of the leverfpasses'above the hook 25i offthei keeper,strikesagainst the-cam dge of the finger2,6 and' the lever isautomatically turned so as to change 'the' action of the.

.springQO to cause. the .lever thlen to swing so as to forcethekeeper'engaging end'joi' the lever -nto close;wedg ng" engagement? withthe; keeper. hook. .Th' disengagement of; the-leverfrom thekeeper isaccomplished Q, i 7' by graspingthe handle "9 andxturning. the.

lever in a clockwise direction, in Fig. 1, or a counterclockwisedirection with the construe- V tion shown in" Fig. 2.

opening through the base plateli beingvmade directly at the head19foracc'esstheretoiby it driver or similar tool tQjShiftjt-hef head-I1'maybejdesired. f

' ;;The 'claims appended hereto define;

Y which is to'befconsidered"comprehensive of all forms of structurevconiing'within' Iclaim'a v (1 i 1.1 In a latch. construction, ahousing, a lever extending through the housing: and .p'ivot'allymountedbetween its ends withinkand adjaf cent'one end of the housing, said1ev-eritav ingtwoseats between th'e'pivot and-the oppoin site end ofthehousing, one being locatediat each sideofthe longitudinal 'centerlineof 1. the lever, a barh'avingia headlocated in one i v of,saidseats; said: head being changeable in position to seat in the otherof saidseats, and

The head 19 on har 18 a changed from one seatl la or '29- to the other;

,7 11 0 after the latch is completely assembled, an.

, sides and ends, said ends having openingstherethrough and one of saidends having the spring means around the bar between said head and theopposite end of the housing, for pressing the head against the seat onwhich it is located.

2. A latch construction comprising, a housing, a latch lever extendingthrough the housing, a pivot pin carried by said housing extendingthrough the lever adjacent one end of the housing, said lever being ofchannel cross section and having a part of the web cut away to providean opening in the lever between the pivot and the opposite end of thehousing, seats on said lever in said opening one of sald seats being.

adjacent the pivot, located at each side of the longitudinal center lineof the lever, and spring actuated means between the opposite end of thehousing and said seats carried by the lever, said spring means pressingagalnst a selected seat andbeing shiftable to act upon either seat;

8. A latch construction comprising, a-housing having a top and inwardlyextending material at said opening extending inwardly into andunderneath the top of the housing, a

substantially parallel thereto, a sleeve on said last mentioned materialextending between the same and the top of the housing, a leverpassing'through the housing and through the ends thereof, a base closingthe inner side of the housing, and a pivot pin passing through saidbase, lever and received in said sleeve.

4. A latch construction comprising a housing having an opening inopposed ends thereof, a latch lever extending through the hous- J ingand the openings in its ends, a pivot carried by the housing and passingthrough said latch lever near one end of the housing, said latch leverwithin the housing being'channel shape in cross'section and having anopening made in the web of the channel between the pivot and theopposite end of the housing,

said opening at the end adjacent the pivot b e-, ing equipped with twoseats, one located at each side of the longitudinal center lineof thelever, a bar disposed between the lever and the outer side of thehousing, a head on said bar extending into the opening in the lever andbearing atits free end against one of said seats and a coiledcompression spring around said bar bearing against said head at.

one end-and against said opposite end of the housing at the other end,said head being shiftable from one seat to the other.

In testimony i EDWARD'F. GRAF.

whereof I aflix my signature.

